Fatal Roads

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WI

State

Wisconsin

Residents 5,960,975Deaths 2024 595Deaths 2015–2024 5,959Counties 72Routes with pages 45

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024.

Wisconsin recorded 595 deaths in 529 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest year in NHTSA's FARS, and 5,959 deaths over 2015–2024.

That is 10.2 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 14% lower than the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total fell 5% from 6,279 in 2005–2014 to 5,959 in 2015–2024.

Relative to the national shares, alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) stands out most: 33.4% of fatal crashes against 26.3% nationally. 62.5% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 41.7% happened after dark.

Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in Juneau County (24.4), Oconto County (23.3) and Polk County (22.0).

595deaths in 2024529 fatal crashes
10.2per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024US 11.8
-5%ten-year change in deaths6,279 → 5,959
33%crashes with a drinking driverUS 26%

Trend since 1975

0493985197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 930 deaths1976: 935 deaths1977: 931 deaths1978: 971 deaths1979: 985 deaths1980: 972 deaths1981: 916 deaths1982: 770 deaths1983: 725 deaths1984: 822 deaths1985: 744 deaths1986: 747 deaths1987: 797 deaths1988: 807 deaths1989: 817 deaths1990: 769 deaths1991: 797 deaths1992: 652 deaths1993: 714 deaths1994: 712 deaths1995: 745 deaths1996: 761 deaths1997: 725 deaths1998: 714 deaths1999: 745 deaths2000: 799 deaths2001: 763 deaths2002: 803 deaths2003: 848 deaths2004: 792 deaths2005: 815 deaths2006: 724 deaths2007: 756 deaths2008: 605 deaths2009: 561 deaths2010: 572 deaths2011: 582 deaths2012: 615 deaths2013: 543 deaths2014: 506 deaths2015: 566 deaths2016: 607 deaths2017: 613 deaths2018: 589 deaths2019: 567 deaths2020: 612 deaths2021: 620 deaths2022: 604 deaths2023: 586 deaths2024: 595 deaths
People killed in crashes in Wisconsin by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 595 deaths.

Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024

08162000200520102015202020242000: 14.92001: 14.12002: 14.72003: 15.52004: 14.42005: 14.72006: 132007: 13.52008: 10.72009: 9.92010: 10.12011: 10.22012: 10.82013: 9.52014: 8.82015: 9.82016: 10.52017: 10.62018: 10.12019: 9.72020: 10.42021: 10.52022: 10.22023: 9.92024: 10
Deaths per 100,000 residents in Wisconsin and nationally, 2000–2024. Latest point: 2024, 10. this page United States

Year pages: 20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975

Compared with the nation

MeasureWisconsinUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202410.211.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202410.011.5
Deaths, 2015–20245,959389,190
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-5%+7%
Share of the national toll1.5%100%

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking33.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver31%
Pedestriansshare of people killed9.5%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.8%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used49.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark41.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads62.5%

tick marks the US share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

Counties ranked by rate

Deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024. Small counties on through routes can rank high on few deaths; the deaths column gives the scale. Counties with fewer than 10 fatal crashes in the ten years show no factor shares.

#CountyResidentsDeaths 2015–2024Per 100k / yrDeaths 2024AlcoholSpeeding
1Iron County6,2352237.0055%59%
2Florence County4,6731635.7027%40%
3Burnett County17,1874628.6559%44%
4Menominee County4,2861125.0060%10%
5Juneau County26,5906524.4641%29%
6Rusk County14,1683424.1438%28%
7Adams County21,3524923.8749%38%
8Oconto County40,0379023.3741%27%
9Sawyer County18,8354022.9351%32%
10Bayfield County16,8383622.8040%31%
11Polk County45,8319822.0831%28%
12Buffalo County13,4642921.9637%59%
13Jackson County21,0274521.7621%26%
14Waushara County25,0795321.6452%37%
15Clark County34,8017421.31324%36%
16Lincoln County28,4615921.0837%33%
17Columbia County58,11311419.81224%21%
18Price County14,0872618.9433%29%
19Crawford County16,0083018.6532%24%
20Forest County9,5061718.51–259%41%
21Shawano County41,2997418.1945%34%
22Marquette County15,7432818.0044%24%
23Iowa County23,9634016.81–232%24%
24Vilas County23,9483816.7456%38%
25Lafayette County17,3062816.61–233%30%
26Sauk County66,48610716.5733%24%
27Pepin County7,5551216.3046%9%
28Barron County46,8107315.91117%18%
29Marinette County42,3436515.8746%43%
30Washburn County16,9822515.4448%36%
31Monroe County46,3707015.21032%23%
32Oneida County38,1755615.2943%26%
33Waupaca County51,1717514.6343%32%
34Dunn County46,1356614.6547%36%
35Dodge County88,63512714.41832%29%
36Taylor County20,1672914.4030%37%
37Richland County17,1232514.4317%8%
38Grant County52,3307314.1636%25%
39Ashland County16,1962213.91–219%33%
40Langlade County19,5352613.51–239%23%
41Walworth County106,02914013.41235%25%
42Green County37,1834913.3330%39%
43Vernon County31,3514013.0549%18%
44Rock County165,46121012.91641%29%
45Wood County73,9439412.81233%17%
46Door County30,5123712.8423%17%
47Douglas County44,2765512.51243%39%
48Fond du Lac County104,26911911.51234%35%
49Chippewa County67,3237511.5831%19%
50Manitowoc County81,5139111.3931%23%
51Pierce County43,3804811.31–254%24%
52Jefferson County86,2459611.21231%22%
53Trempealeau County30,8013210.6528%17%
54St. Croix County97,9549710.5638%16%
55Milwaukee County924,7408619.29323%46%
56Kenosha County168,7541498.8941%38%
57Racine County198,6511718.71432%32%
58Marathon County139,0911198.7923%18%
59Sheboygan County118,331998.5628%27%
60Green Lake County19,370168.41–238%31%
61Portage County72,040567.9639%37%
62Calumet County53,602397.6432%26%
63Washington County138,727997.31031%29%
64Outagamie County195,3901316.91233%23%
65Kewaunee County20,751146.8029%21%
66Dane County588,3473526.33834%30%
67Winnebago County173,3071086.31432%22%
68Eau Claire County108,830666.31031%37%
69Ozaukee County93,956545.91–229%27%
70Brown County273,9091545.82036%33%
71La Crosse County121,060685.7738%32%
72Waukesha County417,0292075.12028%25%

Routes with the most fatal crashes

#RouteTypeFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 94Interstate11112817%28%
2US Route 12US highway10812028%21%
3Interstate 41Interstate9510430%34%
4State Route 35State highway849436%21%
5Interstate 43Interstate839729%30%
6State Route 32State highway767933%28%
7US Route 51US highway737632%30%
8US Route 151US highway707930%24%
9Interstate 39Interstate687818%24%
10US Route 45US highway656840%29%
11US Route 14US highway596531%14%
12US Route 8US highway586424%17%
13US Route 10US highway586928%17%
14State Route 29State highway525831%14%
15US Route 53US highway495120%14%
16State Route 11State highway495531%27%
17State Route 13State highway485121%27%
18State Route 33State highway465420%13%
19Interstate 90Interstate465530%33%
20US Route 18US highway434616%26%
21State Route 57State highway424926%26%
22State Route 145State highway404523%45%
23State Route 190State highway38435%42%
24State Route 73State highway373930%14%
25State Route 23State highway374211%19%
26State Route 16State highway353937%20%
27State Route 54State highway343835%18%
28US Route 41US highway313226%19%
29US Route 63US highway303323%23%
30State Route 59State highway303130%23%

Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 45 routes in Wisconsin qualify. Local streets and county roads are not listed. Long routes carry more traffic and so more crashes; this is a count, not a rate.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Wisconsin by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 5,277 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday19%
Sunday17%
Friday16%
Thursday13%
Wednesday13%
Tuesday12%
Monday11%

Light condition

Daylight53%
Dark, not lighted27%
Dark, lighted14%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial29%
Minor arterial23%
Major collector17%
Local15%
Interstate8%
Minor collector6%
Other freeways and expressways2%

FHWA functional classes (FARS FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the national share. What the classes mean.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Wisconsin in 2024?

595 people in 529 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 5,959.

How does Wisconsin compare with the national rate?

10.2 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 10.0 against 11.5.

Which counties in Wisconsin have the most fatal crashes?

By deaths over 2015–2024: Milwaukee County (861), Dane County (352) and Rock County (210). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.

What share of fatal crashes in Wisconsin involved alcohol or speeding?

33.4% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 31.0% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).

Which routes in Wisconsin have the most fatal crashes?

Interstate 94 (111 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), US Route 12 (108 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and Interstate 41 (95 fatal crashes, 2015–2024). Route pages exist for signed routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in the ten years.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files 1975–2024; US Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026. See methodology, sources and corrections.